Enjoy It While It Lasts
by ToughGuysNeverCryIsALie
Summary: Kathleen Samson's friendship with the Greasers has been great for as long as she remembers. So what happens when she begins to see Johnny Cade in a different way? Will she be able to handle all of the changes? Johnny.OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Oh, shut up Two-Bit."

"You shut up, little girl!"

"I'm almost 16, I'm not a little girl!"

"Says you!"

This type of conversation is regularly heard when I'm around Two-Bit Matthews. We argue like brother and sister, since we practically are related. Well, not really, but we had grown up together, and he has always been that type of friend that you _felt _related to, and I love him like a sibling.

We're from two different groups unfortunately. He's a Greaser, and I'm considered a Soc, but the Socs don't know what to think of me. I'm just an average girl with a middle-class family who has friends from different social groups. So, basically, I was considered versatile by some, weird by others, and popular and pretty to most. I hate those words, _popular _and_ pretty_. They should banish them from the dictionary I say. Who cares about the amount of friends or looks? It's the personality that counts! If someone's nice and funny, they're automatically my kind of buddy.

That explains why I like and tolerate Two-Bit. The Greasers and I are the only ones who know his real name, Keith. I'm on the verge of forgetting it though. I haven't called him that since I was 6, and he was 8.

His obsession with Mickey Mouse is equal to my obsession with Minnie Mouse, but I would never wear her on my shirts. I'm not _that _scary. Yet I love the way he wears those stupid shirts with such undeniable confidence. I think I'm the only one who knows that his confidence was really shaky when we were younger, but he eventually popped out of his shell with so much enthusiasm he wouldn't stop talking for weeks. He always pulled pranks on me, and, needless to say, I wasn't too shocked to find he'd started doing it to everyone else. Everything is a joke to him, and he always has to add one or two things to the conversation. Darrel [Darry Curtis is the one who gave him the name Two-Bit.

His friends and I are particularly close also, just not as close as he and I. I'm a sister to most of them too.

Sodapop always gives me free stuff at the gas station and a nice backrub if I beg for one. He is amazing at those, I swear. The only thing I hate is his taste in girls. I know Sandy, and she's not what she's cracked up to be. She's a sweet girl, but she changes her mind so easily it's scary. He was too handsome for her, and dare I say it, had the manliest beauty I'd ever seen. But he is a friend and nothing more.

Darry is a bit busier than Soda, but I bring him a bologna sandwich with Mayo and a glass of milk for lunch every day he is working, and I sometimes try to help him if his boss isn't around. I can't do a lot though, so I just help with the small things.

Dally, I know, is not as tough as he acts. He thinks I've forgotten the time when he stubbed his toe badly and actually shed a tear. I had dropped my bike and ran back to my house to find a band-aid for him. This was five years ago, and he made me keep my word by threatening to hack off my honey blonde hair. I've never told a soul, and just let him believe I'd forgotten. He's very protective of me, threatening to knock out any boy who hurts me as if I'm too fragile to get merely poked.

I don't care much for Steve sometimes, and I know that he does have his good and bad moments. I think he would be nicer to me if I was older. All in all, he's a pretty good guy I guess.

Ponyboy and I always have a laugh together, since he understands Two-Bits sense of humor like I do. He's a sweet kid, and he could go far in life if he didn't live here...

Johnny is different; he's the group's 'pet'. He reminds me of my aunt's baby daschund, Poppy. She is quiet and jumpy, like someones out to get her...just like Johnny. I sit with Two-Bit, Pony, and him at lunch and he never really tries to join in to the conversation. He's in a few of my classes too, and just sits there, 

doodling. I've made him talk before though. I threatened him 7 years ago in the nicest possible way by telling him I would throw Darry's dirty socks at him. It worked wonders. He said his first word: "What!"

Although I mainly hang out with the Greasers, I'm not considered one at all. I'm not a Soc either, though. Girls cling to me for dear life so much it gets annoying. They think hanging out with me will give them a good repuatation. That's a lie. Everyone sees me as some perfect girl-next-door; yet another lie.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Today, I was with the Greasers. I had been hanging out with them even more than usual lately. I was sick of all the drama at school and loved being around people that care about me for being me, not for being considered 'cool'. I rejoiced over the fact that it was finally Friday. I just wanted to relax and stay away from all of my problems. Luckily, I knew them.

As Two-Bit and I walked up to The Lot, debating about how many days of school we should have, he suddenly, but not roughly, pushed me behind a tree ad shushed me.

"Stay here," he whispered.

This was odd. He sounded serious.

I stood there, doing as I was told and standing as stiff as the tree hiding me. I peeked around to see him grabbing something out of his pocket: his switchblade. What the hell was happening?

After a few minutes, he came jogging back towards the tree, no switchblade in hand.

"Sorry 'bout that. Had to check for Socs. They've been showing up in our territory more and more lately. I'm getting sick of it. Those-"

"Don't start with the insults. We'll be here all night." Steve popped out of the bushes, followed by Dally, Soda, Pony, and Johnny. They somehow lit the logs in front of the tree I was behind and created a bonfire without any gasoline; I didn't ask how, nor did I really care.

"You brought the kid, eh?" Sodapop referred to me as he sat down across from the tree. He was trying to get a rise out of me, and I knew it. But I took the bait.

"I'm almost 16!"

"Still a kid."

"I'm barely younger than you!"

"You're still the second youngest here, which makes you a kid."

"Whatever, and a happy hello to you too, Soda." I finally gave up and sat down against the tree.

We all sat there in a circle around the fire, taking in the heat rather than the constantly cold breeze. Then Steve, Soda, and Two-Bit argued about who won some game, and I rolled my one green and one blue eyes.

I looked around. Pony was staring at the fire as if it was about to do a few tricks; it never did.

A cough made me wheel around to see Johnny.

"Want a cough drop, Johnny?" I asked. I'd had a cough earliar that week, so I had some strawberry cough drops in the left pocket of my cardigan.

He looked up for a second, seemingly surprised I knew his name, and shook his head slightly. I caught his eye and he quickly averted his gaze from me and became very interested in his once-white-but-not-so-much-anymore tennis shoes.

"So...you still don't talk much?" I joked, hoping he could tell I was kidding.

He did thankfully, and I saw him nod again and even smile for a moment, still looking at his shoes.

"Depends on who he's talking to. He don't talk much to good-looking chicks though, but I do," Dally cut in and swung his arm around my shoulder.

"Oh, so I'm tuff-looking like Georgina Smithson now?" I laughed and dropped his arm off of my shoulder like a rag-doll, even though his arm was probably equal to half of my weight. I could have sworn I'd just made him blush, something I rarely made him do. I was well aware that he'd only hitten on her so she wouldn't tell her boss that he'd stolen atleast 8 packs of cigarettes.

"You called Georgina Smithson _tuff-looking_? I wonder where we went wrong..." Two-Bit turned around from Soda and Steve and lit up a cigarette.

I groaned, disgusted."Do you have to smoke around me Two-Bit?"

"Yes, I do. You're too much of a goody-goody. We should convert you into a Greaser."

"Hell no, Two-Bit. Do you want me to be one of those disgusting slobs that are somehow considered human beings?"

"You ain't gonna change Kathleen. We need some goody-goodies around here," Ponyboy lit his own cigarette and took a long drag. I knew he hated Greaser girls too. And I didn't argue with him to stop smoking; when he smoked, he needed to cool off.

I scooted away from the tree and laid down to look up at all of the stars. Eventually, I fell into a light doze.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I woke up a little bit later, still in the lot. I was freezing even though I found a blanket had been put over me. The fire was out and I noticed a note under the pepsi bottle next to me. It read:

Sorry kiddo. Couldn't wake you. You're too hard to wake up anyway. Told your mom and dad you were sleeping over at Liz's house and couldn't call. You're welcome. And the pepsi bottle's for if the Socs come, but I doubt they'd hurt precious Kath when half of 'em hit on you. And Johnny's there too, so ya won't get hurt.

- Two-Bit

I sat up. Johnny was sitting against the tree, sleeping. He looked cold, and I wondered where his blanket was. I kneeled beside him and gently shook him.

"Hmm...what?" he managed drowsily.

"Get up. Lets go to my house."

He opened his eyes and jumped a little. It was safe to say he wasn't expecting to see or hear me.

"Uh, that's okay. I can stay here."

"No, it's too cold, come on." I got up and held out my hand, which he relunctantly took to pull himself up.

"What about your parents?" he asked.

"They know Two-Bit and he's slept over before, so I hardly think they'd mind you. You can sleep on the loveseat in my room." I sort of lied. Two-Bit passed out a few times on my loveseat, but I never told my parents. They probably wouldn't care if a boy slept over because he had nowhere else to go, but that still didn't mean I'd tell them.

I started walking in the direction of my house, which wasn't very far away. Johnny followed at my heels.

I rubbed my arms, which were colder than ice by now, even though I still had the blanket wrapped around my shoulders. How he slept without a blanket I would never know.

"You want my jacket?" he muttered almost inaudibly, and I noticed his tan cheeks become a shade of light pink.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked incredelously. Was the boy hot-blooded?

"Not really. I've slept out here before, so I'm used to it. Here," he slid his jean jacket off and placed it on my shoulders.

"Thanks." I almost blushed. I don't know why though. I guess it was because he was talking more than usual, which was odd on it's own.

"What about _your_ parents? Don't they care?" I wondered out loud.

He shook his head and yawned, as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was to me.

"Do you...get along?"

He stared at me with his big black eyes, as if deciding whether to tell me or not. We were friends; I'd known him for years. But we weren't great friends.

"No, not at all," he sighed. I could tell it took a lot of him to say that, and didn't ask anything else.

It was silent as we walked, but not the bad kind of silence, the good kind, when you don't need to talk.

Out of nowhere, a blue Mustang came cruising by us.

Oh glory; it was Bob. Bob has been after me for years, but I don't know why. He has a girlfriend named Cherry who is a friend of mine on the cheerleading squad. She is

beautiful, so why does he want me? I've always hated him and his precious rings.

"Hey, Kath! Wanna ride?" he yelled, sounding a bit tipsy, if not more.

"No, leave me alone Bob." I said. I linked Johnny's arm with my own and walked away hurriedly. We weren't too far from my house; it was just a block away.

"Who's this punk?" Bob drove slowly beside us.

"Go the fuck away!" I screamed at him. Then all of my pent-up feelings came roaring out:

"I'm never gonna like you, so just stay away from me! You're just some dumb kid who gets whatever he wants when he wants it and thinks he's better than everyone else, and you're not! You don't deserve to breathe!"

I almost wanted to say more, but couldn't find the right words.

Johnny urged me forward with his arm, but my legs wouldn't move.

"You don't even know me, Kath! If you'd give me a chance you'd see I was different!" Bob stopped the car and sounded seriuos.

"I don't want to know you!"

By now, Johnny was pleading me forward with his eyes, so I grabbed his hand and we ran to my house, which was just around the corner.

I could hear Bob yelling at me all the while I ran.

When we got to my door, huffing and puffing, I grabbed the key from out of my pocket and quickly unlocked the door.

I pulled Johnny inside, slammed the door shut, then re-locked it. It was refreshing to feel the warm air inside of my house, but that wasn't what I was thinking about.

"I'm sorry 'bout that Johnny." I breathed as I lead him up the stairs, still grasping his cold hand.

"It's alright. It's not your fault...I'm used to fighting anyway," his voice sounded solemn.

I glanced back at him. I felt a rush of emotion I'd never felt so strongly before run up my spine. It wasn't fair, what Johnny had to go through. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet his parents didn't even care about him.

I squeezed his hand lightly, and I could have sworn he squeezed mine back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**KATHLEEN'S POV**

When I woke up, I felt as if a second had barely passed since my head had hit the pillow. I'd fallen asleep fairly quickly after I threw Johnny a blanket and a pillow and said "G'night.", but I still felt like I hadn't gotten any sleep.

I hadn't changed the night before, and I was still wearing the same jeans, shirt, and cardigan. It's really informal for a girl to wear jeans, but I opt for them on the weekends. I hate wearing dresses and skirts everyday, even when they're pretty. I just get sick of them. You can say I'm a tomboy, or you can say I am girly. I say I'm a nice mix of both: I am a cheerleader, but I love playing sports. I wear make-up, but a very minimal amount. I joke around as if I was one of the guys, but I've had some boyfriends. I'd never keep them for long though. They wanted me to have me. Jerks.

Johnny was still asleep, and I wasn't going to wake him up again, so I hopped down from my single bed and tiptoed to my door. I carefully opened it and walked downstairs.

**JOHNNY'S POV**

She thought I was asleep, but I wasn't. I didn't get a lot of sleep anyway. I was still a little confused by last night.

The simple task of her squeezing my hand and I squeezing hers back was all that completely registered in my mind.

I don't really knew why she hangs out with us; she has so many friends and other things going for her. But she chooses us to spend most of her time with us Greasers. A lot of boys would kill to have her even talk to them, but she talks to me, and I hate myself for not talking back. Besides, she is bound to fall for someone like Soda, who is movie-star handsome and a lively, outgoing guy.

I'm too shy for her, and she's far too pretty for me anyway.

She is considered a valuable girl, with her one green and one blue eye. They are both beautiful, while one is a bright, emerald green that sparkles, and the other is a light, crystal blue that isn't even a little bit like Dally's cold eyes. They are understanding and innocent looking. And her hair. Her hair is amazing. It looks light brown sometimes, but shines golden blonde at other times. It is to the middle of her back, and silky, soft, wavy and...perfect. She is blessed with thick hair, and she never does the crazy up-dos that other girls seem to like. Her skin is radiant too. She isn't pale, but lightly tanned. And her body is great, not in the perverted way, but I won't lie it's not bad there either. Her petite body is made entirely out of muscle. She isn't skinny, and she isn't at all fat; she is healthy.

Saying she is a girl version of Soda doesn't even come close to how beautiful she truly is.

I've always liked her, but not just for that kind of stuff. She could be mean to people 'below' her, like the 'geeks and nerds', but she isn't. She'll talk to anybody, no matter how they look. To her, personality is key. If she really did go for looks, she'd be with Bob right now. She uses her manners a lot more than Two-Bit; he could learn from her. Really, she is the tuffest girl you could dream of, and I held her hand last night. Heck, I slept in her room.

Oh glory, I think my crush is coming back, but I'm not so sure it ever left.

**KATHLEEN'S POV**

"Hey mom! Hey pops!" I said, sounding entergetic, which I wasn't.

"I thought you were at Liz's house. When did you come back?" my mom asked while she flipped another pancake onto the growing china plate beside her.

"Oh, umm...I decided not to."

"You didn't walk home, did you?" my dad looked up from this morning's paper and took another sip of coffee from his yellow mug that read "#1 Dad".

"'Course not. I'm not stupid. Her mom gave me a ride."

My mom gave me a stern, disbelieving look, then turned back to her pancakes.

Saying my mom doesn't look like me is a lie. I got my blue eye and honey blonde hair from her. I got the green eye and tan complexion from my dad. I am pretty much both of them split down the middle [not literally and mixed. They _are_ both a few pounds overweight, but other than that they're pretty average.

I've always wanted a sibling; instead, I got Two-Bit and his some of his buddies.

"Bye dad," I waved as he grabbed his breifcase and walked out the door to his car.

"Can I eat in my room this morning, mom?"

"Why?" she asked nonchalantly without turning around.

"I'm gonna read a book, so knock when you come in," I said. It's a really lame excuse, but I know she isn't a person who likes to snoop around.

"Sure. Just bring a tray up,"

I grabbed a plate and somehow managed to make enough room to put 4 pancakes, a heaping amount of scrambled eggs, and 2 pieces of toast on it.

My mom stared at me with wide blue eyes as I drowned the pancakes in syrup and took a whole stick of butter.

"Since when have you had such a big appetite?"

"Since now. Could you hand me two glasses?" I asked, and as she turned around, I discreetly grabbed another plate and two forks.

I filled one glass with milk, and the other with water, and without another word walked slowly up the stairs.

I am sure my mom thinks I am crazy or cramping today.

**JOHNNY'S POV**

I heard someone coming up the stairs.

I hoped it wasn't her parents or something.

It wasn't. It was her, with a huge tray filled with food in her hands.

She carefully walked towards me and asked if I was awake. My eyes were still closed.

"Yeah,"

"Eat up. It's almost 10. I'll be right back, I'm gonna go change." she set the tray on my lap.

She didn't need to change. She looked fine the way she was.

When she walked out of her room, I took the oppurtunity to look around.

I couldn't see when we came in last night, and I'd been faking sleep earliar. And now I could see it.

It was simple and elegant, like her.

The walls were a light pink. They matched her bedsheets, which were white with little pink roses on it.

There was a nightstand next to her bed. It was white too, and had an alarm clock on it.

She had a light brown wooden floor.

It reminded me of a country bedroom, like one in Texas.

Maybe she wanted to go there too.

I looked down at the tray.

It was full of food ranging from pankcakes to toast.

I rarely ate breakfast, but I was hungry today.

The pancakes smelled delicious, so I grabbed a fork and started chowing down.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**KATH'S POV**

After I walked into the laundry room, I changed into another pair of jeans, a different bra, and an old Elvis shirt Two-Bit passed down to me, pre-Mickey Mouse phase.

I didn't care how I looked; it was comfortable.

My stomach growled, so I ran back up the stairs and into my room.

I found Johnny eating a pancake and drinking some milk.

I plopped down next to him onto my light pink loveseat and grabbed a piece of toast.

"Hungry?" I asked when I noticed he was on his third pancake. I already knew the answer.

"Yeah," he finished the pancake and downed some more milk.

"Glory, if I would have known you were like Two-Bit, I would have brought up more,"

I grabbed the other fork and scooped up some scrambled eggs.

"You don't mind, do you?" I asked.

He shook his head again.

"Why don't you talk as much as everyone else?" I blurted out.

He looked a bit surprised that I addressed that so randomly, and almost spit out his milk.

I was just as surprised as him.

"I dunno..."

"I can make you talk you know. Too bad I don't have any dirty socks though,"

He laughed. It was the first time I'd ever heard him laugh. It was actually more like a chuckle. It made me smile.

"It laughs!" I exclaimed and he choked again, so I popped him on the back.

We finished eating and I put the tray onto my bed.

"Wanna go to the Curtis house?" he asked, still shyly.

"Sure, but I have to give Two-Bit his blanket back."

"That's mine actually." he blushed.

That kind of caught me off guard.

"Oh, well, thanks for letting me use it last night..."

It was my turn to blush. What was wrong with me? I've never been the type to blush...

I handed him the blanket and just stood there, thinking.

"Are you ready to go?" said a distant, soft voice that made me jump.

"Oh, yeah."

"We' can't go through the front door,"

"I thought your parents didn't care!"

"Sorry, I lied." I said truthfully. I hated lying, but I didn't want a frozen Johnny Cade.

"Your not in trouble are ya?"

He sounded concerned; that was cute.

"Nope. What they don't know can't and won't hurt them."

I threw open my window the widest I could and carefully stepped onto my roof.

"C'mon!" I laughed as he stood there, surprised. I seem to surprise him a lot.

"I thought you had a back door..." he mumbled, but stepped out of the window and onto the roof too.

He jumped down onto the hood of our old [and wrecked Dodge.

I crouched down and hung my head under the roof. I looked through a window, to check if my mom had heard the loud noise. Thankfully, she hadn't.

I hopped down too.

I was a little startled when he held out his hand to help me down.

Again, I blushed, and then took his offered hand.

I never really let go out of it as we walked.

I didn't want him to let go, so I kept my hand entangled in his.

He didn't seem to notice, and I was sort of glad, but I wanted him to know that he shouldn't let go.

**JOHNNY'S POV**

So this is what happiness feels like. I've never really felt it before, but I read about it a few times. It sounded nice, and it is. It's real nice.

I don't know if she realized she was still holding my hand, but I think she did.

What if she wanted _me_ to let go?

That wasn't possible, 'cause when a tuff girl you've liked since second grade holds your hand, you don't let go.

You want to hold onto it, and let it stay there forever.


End file.
